Autism from the inside

Tag Archives: Empowerment

Happiness is the value not of the behind nor forward but of those little things between that move in a constant.

Cherished things are found there which no worldly goods to buy, they have no thought, no intellectualism and sometimes no words but the feeling is very much at the forefront. A likeable wistful motion that is captured in the roaming snapshot of time.

A valued place that can have a thousand wordless words, a million bountiful experiences. Is wrong to like the shimmer on a rain dropped petal? A sparkle in the water, a popping colour amongst muteness and a cheery sounding bird calling out to its friends.

Maybe if human beings talked more the moment we wouldn’t be drenched the atrocities of the past and uncertainties of the future. I loving world is not much to ask and it’s above all free.

Humanistic, humanism and humanist are terms in psychology relating to an approach which studies the whole person, and the uniqueness of each individual. Essentially, these terms refer the same approach in psychology.

Humanism is a psychological perspective that emphasizes the study of the whole person. Humanistic psychologists look at human behavior not only through the eyes of the observer, but through the eyes of the person doing the behaving.

Holistic Psychology

Holism refers to any approach that emphasizes the whole rather than their constituent parts. In other words ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts’. Qualitative methods of the humanistic approach reflect a holistic position. Social psychology also takes a holistic view.

A holistic approach therefore suggests that there are different levels of explanation and that at each level there are “emergent properties” that cannot be reduced to the one below.

Reductionist explanations, which might work in some circumstances, are considered inappropriate to the study of human subjectivity because here the emergent property that we have to take account of is that of the “whole person”. Otherwise it makes no sense to try to understand the meaning of anything that anybody might do.

I would say with working in the autism field for over seven years you must look at all the factors and how the interact with EACH OTHER such as personality development for example will dictate how people react and however the underpinnings are to do with biological, psychological and environmental factors.

All Voices are Equal

All voices and perceptions are equal and that means that differing realities, perceptions and knowledge has to be taking into account so that can be. There should be no “them vs us” or segregation burns far too many bridges. This can be from differing realities such as neurobiology, auto-immunity and metabolic disorders, dietary needs and many more.

Empathy (Showing genuine kindness, assertion and care which is balanced, contextual and meaningful)

Listening (Acknowledging the person as a human being first through listening to their wants, needs, desires and aspirations)

Being Non-authoritarian and egalitarian (Show through example, intention and meaning that being equal is the standard stetter nothing more or less)

Allow for growth and developmental, psychological and environmental changes (Change is good it can be progressive, assertive, connective, inspiring and fun)

Everybody is a person (Be non-judgmental, objective and constructive the key for allowing growth is to see the person first)

What makes each person with autism so different from each other? How do you learn to ‘speak autistic’? What are the low cost and no cost strategies to help people with autism manage their own particular collection of challenges?

Published in 2005, The Jumbled Jigsaw is an easy to read, ‘quick dip’ self help manual on the ‘Fruit Salad’ model of and approach to the navigation and management of autism. It exposes autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) not as single entities but as a combination of a whole range of often untreated, sometimes easily treatable, underlying conditions. Exploring everything from mood, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive and tic disorders to information processing and sensory perceptual difficulties, including dependency issues, identity problems and much more, it demonstrates how a number of such conditions can combine to form a ‘cluster condition’ and underpin the label ‘autism spectrum disorder. Most importantly it gives case study examples and clear strategies for management of each piece of autism spectrum ‘fruit salad’.

My Conclusion is that looking at the “bigger picture”, “the whole person” and the interacting components form an “inside-out” perspective means that you can potentially enrich and EMPOWER people live giving the them the building blocks to make choices, self-assertion, independence and self-worth.

Grief is a normal state to be in when you lose someone you love and have connected to and I know that this feeling or more accurately abundance of differing feelings that accompany it are part of the process.

Visual Agnosias – Deficits In Memory Perception & Visual Association?

I have no pictures of my Gramp none that “spring to mind” I cannot “visualise” or have pictures in my mind my “meta-reality”(a person’s inner world/consciousness) is not made of pictures or movies as a form of association. It is made of of smells and textures I made a point when I said goodbye to my Gramp at the chapel of rest to stroke his face and hair so would have a physical association of the firstly the bond we had and secondly my way of saying goodbye to him and his body.

Bereavement Counselor

I went to see a bereavement counselor today and I was thankful that he was able to assist me not only in the human element of my grief but also adapt his way of describing different interventions and explanations to me.

This is what he used in the session

Contextual telegraphic language “painting his words” with gesture and placement and meaning

Allowed time for me to do “all self no other” and “all other no self” in order for me to express and receive the information

Compartmentalised my own emotional states giving them a reference point and also suggestions in how to manage my emotions

Understood I have a history of mood, compulsive and anxiety disorders associated with somatisation disorder

Allowed me to be creative in expressing my emotions through creative writing, poetry and art

Addressing The “Pieces” Of The Jigsaw

So what parts of my “autism” are being addressed?

I would say firstly his looking at a level of information processing delay and giving me time

The next would be that fact that because of visual perceptual disorders having a level of visual agnosia in the areas of meaning (semantic), object (simultagnosia) and faces (prosopagnosia) means that using gesture, placement and telegraphic language backed up with word emphasis in the right areas helps me internalise the words better assisting with the level of aphasia I have

Looking at my own emotional states is assisting with alexithymia and overall giving me time to integrate “self and other”.

Conclusion

I would say that my grief is human and that I will get through this with at times very basic but meaningful interventions I do however hope this helps people with similar issues to my myself regardless of being on the autism spectrum or not.

It has been a year since Warren CEO and Joe Service Manager came to me with regards to being one of the many patrons of Thomley Families.

Moving Forward

I continue to enjoy the ventures, commitment that is made to improving the lives of people with disabilities at Thomley with the new construction of new Pavilion, expansion of the site, a dedicated staff team, fundraising ventures and community projects that set out not only to help the young people that attend Thomley but the family and friends also.

Empowerment

I have always been made to feel welcome and apart of the team this a firm reflection of the ethos that is instilled into the very fabric and ethos of Thomley Families as a place for people to be empowered, supported and to be connected. Many thanks

It may sound like a cliche in many ways to create a blog with a title such as “Thankful for my parents” but that is how I feel I know that many people may not for many reasons feel the same as me and that is fine.

I am thankful for them because they have given me good boundaries, have treated me as a human being then growing up as an infant, teenager and now as an adult, they do not let my disability “define the whole package” (I have written many a blog about that subject), guided me to know that failure and being wrong is normal part of life, to accept and take responsibility for both positive and negative actions, to help people who need it, to always be truthful and be true to yourselves.

I value their sage wisdom as many of these “mantras” and “life skills” come from past mistakes and “failures” but as my parents have noted failures are the fruits of success and success comes in many different forms as example setters for us all.

I don’t know about you but when I was born I was born a person, lets ditch the rhetorics and start listening to other peoples realities and opinions (regardless of were they come from) and accept that disagreement will come but everybody as their own things to say. Lets not be restricted by a “box” or the what is “in crowd” I thank the people who have said their realities with conviction, honesty, rawness and carrying on their lives as best they can be the example and don’t just claim it. I am not “autism” if doesn’t “define” my being it rides along life it not a “definition of my life”. I acknowledge those on and off the spectrum who are honest about the realities lets start listening and going from there keep going even if you don’t do not feel listened to, no popular do not worry at the very least (or most you have been true you and have not be influenced by the dominant wave.)

Fanciful fable a baby in a cradle
New life and new wonders able
A hand from “in crowd” does beckon
I walk in feel more lonely I reckon

I’m not those things you said “we” all are
I am not a part of a redundant single star
You say things as fact, straight lines so subjective
When all I want to be is “me” more reflective

A puppet on a string I cut them off and look around
The strings a still attached with words and the same sound
I got back to the “real world” so eagerly with open arms
It may not be perfect but honesty has its ethereal charms

I am part of the humanity no label defines me I shall deface
Of flesh and blood and gleefully I move from place to place
The words are rubbed away sounding through the sky
I now what I am from life to death a smile and a sigh

No one “owns” Autism that includes me, you the person next door- I think it is important to know what “autism” and “asperger’s”in terms of profiles are the presentations that come with them.

POSSIBILITIES AND OPENNESS

What are the components? (information processing, environment, mental health, personality, identity, learning types) By looking at these pieces you can understand what to do (or not to do) there are many different paths so by being open to possibilities.

GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN

I know my views aren’t popular for one because they go against the status quo of “neurodiversity” that is fine.

LOOKING BEYOND THE RHETORICS

Has anybody wondered what autism really is? Has anybody can beyond the passe rhetorics, memes or generalised views to know how to understand it? To empower people with autism, their parents and professionals etc?

LOOKING DEEPER MEANS LOOKING AT WHAT IS THERE

Isn’t it time to know what makes up a person on the autism spectrum? Dig deeper? I can tell you this is what my autism is made up of –

brain injury

hemiplegia

developmental delay

speech and language delay

language disorders

tic disorders

mutism

related anxiety disorders

personality disorders

learning difficulties etc.

This took six years of research and self-reflection to get to this point.

I say to people reading this do not remember me for saying but remember the template that is being presented and what you can relate to and do not relate to

For a so called “accepting autism community” I have seen plenty of internal upset, bullying, gas-lighting, trolling, arguing, tears and upset to last a life time. Autism has created a “culture” around itself and personally I have seen nothing healthy come out of it. I came into this in 2010 with my parents we quickly got out of it my parents still don’t “get it” the militancy by people on and off the autism spectrum and I have recently been reminded of why I stay clear of it.

The people and parents who seen themselves ashuman beings first (not defining by their “autism”), who are living their lives not consumed by labels and redundant definitions are the ones who are great examples.

This isn’t a game and when you are toying with people’s feelings directed at people who dare to above the parapet a speak from the heart and not tow the line Is this fair? I am all for healthy disagreement lets start listening.